Reserve provider for fuel tanks



J. J. RICHARDS, In.

RESERVE PROVIDER FOR FUEL TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-11,1920.

1,432,259. Patented Oct. 17, 192 2.

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Patented Got. 17, 1922.

UNITED STATES JOHN J. RICHARDS JR., OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

RESERVE PROVIDER FOR FUEL TANKS.

Application filed February 11, 1920. Serial No. 357,854.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. RIoH RDs, Jr., a citizen of the United States. and resident of Brookline. county of Norfolk Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Reserve Providers for Fuel Tanks. of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts in each of the several views.

This invention relates to devices for the delivery of gasoline or a like liquid fuel from liquid tanks as commonly employed in the suction or vacuum feed'system of antomobiles. A principal object of the invention is to provide a convenient, simple, and reliable device adapted for feeding out the gasoline from a tank down to a given point only and capable of being then set to deliver the remainder of the contents of the tank as an emergency or reserve supply that is thus available to the driver after he has been warned by the exhaustion of the normal supply of the tank. More specifically the invention includes in a preferred form, a construction and arrangement including outer and inner relatively slidable members so arranged that when a projecting handle or connection in the top of the device is pressed downward or inward the device is set for normal conditions, i. e., so that the delivery will stop before the reserve supply is fed out and so that upon a drawing upward or outward of the handle or connection the device is set for making the reserve supply available. More broadly the invention comprehends the employment of relatively movable inner and outer tubes adapted to set the device either for preserving the reserve sup ply or making the same available by a single, or one-way movement of the handle or open ating connection. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following de tailed description. and, the distinctive features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings;

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing my improved device in one embodiment thereof, the delivery head being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation illustrating the control, of the fuel inlet in the form of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation with a mounting block therefor in section, showing another form of the device, an intermediate portion being broken away.

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing the device of Fig. 3 mounted in a fuel tank, the tank being shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view partly in elevation and partly in section showing on a larger scale the means for holding the delivery tube in adjusted position in the device of Fig. 3; and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail elevation at right angles to Fig. 3 and showing the fuel intake portion of the tubes.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 10 indicates a bushing head adapted to be fitted into the top of the fuel tank, for this purpose having a threaded nipple 11 in the lower end thereof and having another threaded nipple 12 extending from one side thereof for a connection to the fuel delivery tube. The nipple 11 of the head has fixed by soldering or otherwise in depending relation therefrom, an outer tube 13 which is made of a length to extend substantially to the bottom of the tank. This tube may have a suitable notch or aperture 13 at its lower end so that the inflow thereto would not be stopped by its contacting on the bottom of the tank. Slidably fitted through this outer tube 13 is an inner tube 14 which has an aperture 15 in the upper portion thereof opening into a recess or clearance space 16 there-around in the head 10, which-space communicates with the passage through the nipple 12. The upper end. of the tube 14; is equipped with a hand-piece 17 which projects above a packing box 18 which is set into a recess at the top of the head 10. It will thus be noted that the tube 1 1 constitutes a combined controller member and fuel conduit dispensing with the need of any separate operating rod or member. while the outer tube 13 serves as a casing or housing for the inner tube and also to co-operate therewith for preserving or utilizing .a reserve supply of fuel, as will be explained. The packing box 18 may consist of a block of cork or like substance adapted both for packing. and for frictionally engaging the tube 1 1 so as to hold the same in any position to which it maybe adjusted. The tube 1 1 may also be equipped with a stop pin 19 to prevent the same from being drawn out too far. The lower portion of the outer tube 13 is slotted or cut away as indicated at 20 at a distance above the lower end thereof which is determined by the amount of reserve supply of gasoline which it is desired to preserve. The inner tube 14: is formed with a cut away portion 21 near its lower end, that. when it is in lowered position registers with the cut away portion 20 of the outer tube and thus when the handpiece 17 is pressed down as shown, the suction will be broken and the delivery of gasoline stopped when the level thereof reaches these registering openings 20, 21. Upon lifting the hand-piece 17 and raising the tube 15 so that the cutout portion 21 is above and out of register with the cutout 20 as seen in Fig. 2, the break in the inner tube constituted by this cut out portion is bridged and covered by the outer tube so that the liquid fuel. willthenbe drawn out until it reaches the level of the bottomof the outer tube, i. e., substantially the entire contents of the tank. This form of the invention is adapted for fuel tanks ofautomobiles such as. found, for example, in the'current type of Hudson cars. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4c, a tubular bushing 22 adapted to be fitted intothe top of the tank and constituting a mounting for the movable tubemember is provided. This block has fitted thereto and secured by soldaring or the like anouter dependingtube 23 adapted to extend to the bottom. of the fuel tank. This tube has well towards its lower end at the heighth, determined by the reserve supply desired-,,a cut out portion2l which may be from. opposite sides of the tube asseen in Fig. 6 and leavingonly relatively narrow webs 24 holding the lower extension of the tube. Within. this tube is fitted for sliding movement. aninner tube 25 equipped at its upper projecting end with an L connection 26 to the fuel delivery conduit. this L. connection constituting also a handle for adjusting the inner tube. In this case the-inner tube is shown as terminatingjust below the cut out pontionZl when. said tube is in lowered position as indicated at 25Ethus in this position the cut out portion 24. is bridged and the two tubes constitute a continuous suction. conduit to the bottom of the tank. Upon drawing theinner tube outward a small distance however. its end 25 is elevated past the eutoutportion 24 so that the suction is here broken and the fuel will not be delivered below this level; thus in this form withthe inner tube inelevated position the reserve supply is preserved, while when it is pressed down as. shown in. Fig, 3 the reserve supply is available. For holdingthe inner tube ineither Of these positions it may be equipped with spacedapart grooves 27:, 2 ecti 1y nses bl y arr ng. 2.

' o ed. na. ce eie qr n h ushin 22.-

The lower one 28 ofthese grooves is preferbly p o edg th a quare. h u d r eb ts lower slde which serves as an abutment engaging the spring 29 and positively holding the tube against further withdrawal while the other side of such groove is beveled as is also the side of the groove 27 so that the tube may be yieldingly pressed into either of its adjusted'positions. This form of the device is adapted for the fuel tanks of cars suchv as the current Dodge type. It is to be understood that while I show the form in Fig. 1 with an arrangement of the vent or suction control at the lower part thereof adapted for the suction tobe broken by a pressing down of the inner tube. and in Fig. 3 show the device as adaptedfor breaking the seal upon lifting the inner tube, that these particular combinations and relative arrangements are merely illustrative and. that the top head portion of the device of Fig. 1 may be associated with the type of ventcontrol of Fig. 3 or vice versa. In these as well as other respects. the forms of'the invention shown are to be understood as merely illustrative and not restrictive and reference is therefore had to the following claims. rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of. the invention.

Having. described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1'. A reserve provider for fuel tanks comprising an outer casing tube leading clownward. through, a fuel. tank substantially to the bottom thereof with. an opening therein relatively near itslower end, and an inner tube constituting a combined controller member and fuel. conduit extending from a point external, of the tank top downward to said opening, said inner tube fitted for endwise movement within the outer tube and equipped to control the opening therein, whereby in one position of adjustment of such inner tube it constitutes in, combination with the outer tube. a, continuous delivery conduit from the bottom. of the tank, and in another position terminates such conduit at a point, substantially above the tank bottom.

2; A device of the kind described. comprising a fuel tank having an outer tube casing leading downward from its top substantially to its bottom, and, an inner tube slidably fit ted for endwise movement therein constituting a combined controller member and fuel conduit, said inner tube extending from a point external of the tank downward to a point in proximity to the tank bottom. said tubes having cooperatively arranged open-- ings therein relatively near the lower ends thereof, arranged and adapted in one position of said inner tube to constitute a continuous delivery conduit for fuel from the bottom of said tank, and in another position to constitute a delivery conduit down to a predetermined point only in. said tank.

3. A reserve provider for fuel tanks comprising an outer casing tube mountedin a fuel tank and leading downward siibstantially to the bottom thereof with an opening therein spaced above its lower end, and an inner tube fitted to slide endwise in said outer tube, said inner tube extending from the tank top to said opening of the outer tube and arranged so that in an elevated position it bridges said opening in said outer tube to constitute ii continuous delivery conduit from the bottom of the tank, and in a 10 lowered position exposes said opening so that such conduit terminates at that point.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN J. RICHARDS, JR. 

